PHILADELPHIA-- AMI Entertainment Network reports that it has begun shipping the Continental video jukebox, which made its debut at this year's Amusement Expo.

The new digital downloading jukebox was introduced following the rollout of AMI's Music Video Upgrade Kit, designed to add the ability to select and play music videos on full-size and mini NGX jukeboxes. The Continental offers additional flexibility in offering music video options to jukebox patrons. Like the two NGX models, it is fully compatible with AMI's BarLink mobile app for patrons.

The wall-mounted Continental is designed to enable operators to offer music videos in locations without available television receivers, simply by mounting a flat screen TV display to the jukebox cabinet's upper display panel. It is supplied with a VESA mount bracket that can support flat-panel HDTV screens in a variety of sizes, weighing as much as 80 lbs. AMI recommends screens measuring 36" to 60" diagonally.

The Continental's main cabinet houses an ICEpower 500W. amplifier, a four-channel preamplifier and the core computer package that handles the network interface, communications and data storage tasks, signal processing and the user interface functions. Its angled front serves as the user interface panel, which comes equipped with a 24" horizontal touchscreen, dual MEI (now CPI) bill validators with stackers and a card reader. A wireless infrared remote controller also is included.

Above this UI screen is a middle display panel, which houses a microphone and a camera for possible future applications. The top of the enclosure serves as the upper display panel, where the TV screen is mounted.

Patrons using the Continental can choose to play specialized video content on the installed upper screen, alongside songs from their favorite artists. The TV displays an eye-catching attract loop between songs that promotes the music video features, along with clips of what AMI describes as "some of the coolest music videos" available on the system.

Operators and locations can also build engaging custom advertisements for display on both the main jukebox and the Continental's additional upper screen with the new AMI Ad Manager 2.0. According to the manufacturer, the built-in promotional features turns the Continental into a "smart" advertising tool. The advertising software became available for jukeboxes on April 14 at AMI's operator admin site, amientertainment.net.

The original AMI Music Video Upgrade Kit was released in early 2014. On music-video-capable jukeboxes, the patron can choose to hear audio-only selections or, for an additional credit, upgrade to an accompanying music video. A distinctive icon identifies songs for which music videos are available; it appears in patron search results and on menus. The Continental allows customers to browse top videos on the AMI network, or choose from local favorites. Approximately 10,000 music videos currently are available.

The Continental was named after an earlier AMI jukebox that bridged two eras. The original Continental (shown at left), which was produced in several versions from 1961 through 1963, accommodated 45-RPM microgroove records and was offered with monaural and brand-new stereophonic sound systems. Its distinctive design included a curved panoramic title strip display raised above the cabinet, producing an effect not unlike the horizontal TV screen springing from the 2014 model.